In the video I am wearing:
Graphite silk top by Rebecca Taylor (I love this top and as you probably have noticed in my videos, have worn it for years).

J Brand dark wash skinny jeans

Also shown in the video are my London Sole ballet flats (which add daytime polish to all of my outfits).

As you can see, my wardrobe is not exactly ten-items. The concept of the ten-item wardrobe is not meant to be a strict, rigid regime, but rather an exercise in liberating yourself from an overly cluttered wardrobe. The goal here is to get your clothing down to a capsule collection of high quality clothes. (The less you shop, the more high quality clothes you can afford over time).

Also it is important to note that my wardrobe this season contains more new items than it normally does. This is due to feeling like I've been in maternity clothes for the last two years! I know many of you moms can relate... After having my second baby and finally getting back down to my regular size, I had a major clear out (again) of my wardrobe and started over. And while there are newish items featured here, many are old standbys that I've had for years.

Reader questions:

I have received many emails from readers asking how one is able to function with so few clothes. Madeleine in Australia asked about living in a hot climate. She said she is required to change her clothes often because of the heat where she lives. You must tailor your ten-item wardrobe to your given circumstances. If you need to change a few times throughout the day due to climate, then keep more items in your wardrobe. Also, don't forget the extras (tee shirts, camisoles, blazers, extra dresses, etc.). These things will also help to make your closet feel substantial.

YouTube viewer, Landra27, wrote that she lives in Germany where the climate is very cold in the wintertime. In her case, she would have much warmer items: sweaters, sweater dresses, etc. Her extras will also come into play here as she will need a lot of layering pieces to keep warm (cardigans, jackets, coats, long sleeve tee shirts, etc.)

A few more things to keep in mind:

I shot this video about three weeks ago. Since then the weather has gotten chillier in Southern California so I have switched out the two spring dresses for sweaters (a lavender cashmere sweater and a navy wool sweater, both from J Crew). I also traded in the crop linen pants for the pair of black velvet trousers you saw on the KCAL 9 segment. This is a perfect example of how to edit your wardrobe when the seasons change. If you live in a temperate climate like I do, you will most likely need a few transitional pieces to get you through the change in seasons. I tend to store my seasonal clothes in storage bags, in the guest closet or (if I think I might need to use them again soon) in the 'extras' section of my closet (more on extras next week).

If you are unable to see my video, click here, look in the sidebar of this blog, or visit my channel: www.youtube.com/TheDailyConnoisseur

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13
comments:

Beautiful choices for your wardrobe this season! I just wanted to say that I tried the ten-item wardrobe experiment in April, after reading the first edition of your book, and it was quite liberating. I gave away about 70% of the items in my closet afterwards, and I've maintained a capsule wardrobe ever since (and I'm not looking back). Thank you for sharing this wonderful concept with us.

Cute selection! I agree about re-vamping after you have been in maternity clothes for 2 years. That's me too. I'm not sure if we are done having kids but we are done for a little while at least and I just want to throw out all that maternity stuff because I'm so tired of looking at it. I still have 12 lbs to lose to get to my pre-maternity size but I have found some really great classic staples for my ten item wardrobe by Laundry at TJ Maxx. It can be quite expensive replacing entire wardrobes from scratch each season but that is what I'm having to do since my body has changed so much and I'm just not as tiny as I used to be. C'est la vie! :)

I love this blog post! You inspired me to ruthlessly edit my current wardrobe. The challenging part here in where I live is the rain gear that is presentable & functional (rain jacket that is actually wint and waterproof -- think NorthFace instead of classic trench, shoes that can hold up to puddles and presentable indoor i.e. not just a pair of vinyl boots, etc.). In any case, thank you for this inspiring post!

The video really helps explain your concept Jennifer and I love the clothes you chose for your own wardrobe. I wear Lindsey Phillips ballet flats, but I hope to try the London Sole flats you show. Thanks for sharing; my closet is slender but not 10 items...yet! :) Kathryn

What an absolutely fabulous post! I very much agree on the idea of a 10 item wardrobe, but living in a place where weather changes are rather dramatic too, I find it really challenging to keep my wardrobe small. So there is definitely a need to tailor the idea to our individual needs! Your wardrobe sounds so well thought through too, love it!

Hi Jennifer: I am new to your blog and recently purchased your book in which you (and the French:) give really great and practical advice for living a simple yet chic lifestyle.

My only question (and weakness according to my husband) is the drive I have for consignment/thrift store purchases. I am able to find the brands and quality of clothing at such a discounted price and now I'm addicted!

Can you please give me advice on how I can eliminate accumulating "stuff" only because it was such a bargain? Also, do the French purchase from consignment or thrift stores?

So much fun. Loved it.I stick to 17 items in my wardrobe. I keep 17 hangers and that keeps me from adding. If I need to switch something out as the season changes, I only have so many hangers. It works.My winter wardrobe:I have black jeans, blue jeans, black leather trousers, black leather skirt, navy velvet blazer, black wool blazer, one sweatshirt/sweater, the rest (10) long sleeve tees. That's it. PS if you are getting rid of clothes in your culling, you should probably sell your navy Velvet dress and green BCBG dress to me! They are my favorites.

Thank you all for your comments. I'm so glad people are loving this topic. This is one of the biggest changes I have made to my lifestyle after living in Paris and I can tell you... it takes a while to get used to it but once you start a capsule wardrobe you just can't go back. It becomes a way of life.

To answer some of your questions:

Giedre: I'm not sure how many total items I have. I store my seasonal clothing away. I have a few coats, a handful of cocktail dresses, a handful of tee shirts, etc. You will see these things in the next post on Extras. All together it is not a lot of clothing but it is enough to make me feel like my wardrobe is very full.

HeatherH: I do laundry once a week. I get multiple wears out of my clothing. I probably go to the dry cleaner every two weeks. If you are not able to be as punctual with your laundry, I would suggest adding a few more items...

Sophisticated Chic: There is nothing wrong with consignment store shopping... the problem lies with only buying something because it was a bargain and not because it fits into your capsule wardrobe. If you think you have a problem (and it sounds like your husband thinks you do ha :)) just pause before purchasing something. Maybe wait a day or two. Really think about it. Chances are, if you really don't need it, your craving will subside. Good luck!